William Carl "Bill" Kuehne

William "Bill" Carl Kuehne Age 88, died peacefully Fri, Apr 24 2009 after a courageous battle with cancer. Born in Los Angeles in 1921 to William and Jessie Kuehne, Bill grew up in Madera on a small farm. He began school in a one-room schoolhouse and then, after skipping two grades, entered UCLA at age 16, where he went on to become men's student body president and captain of both the swim and water polo teams, and to win the Gimbel Award, an honor given in recognition of athletic achievement and attitude. He also co-founded UCLA's first co-op housing, which still exists today. After graduating, Bill worked for Lockheed and Douglas, first in Los Angeles, then in Africa and Ireland during World War ll. He then joined the Navy and was stationed at Treasure Island as a radar instructor. In 1945 he married Anona Stoetzl. After the war, they settled in Oakland and Bill joined Merrill Lynch, first as a broker and then as manager of the San Francisco office's Institutional Department. After 30 years at Merrill, he co-founded an investment advising firm that ultimately became SF Sentry - and worked there until retiring in 2007 at age 85. Bill Kuehne was a mentor to many in the financial world. Those who knew him describe him as a gentleman, and as someone who had a keen interest in others and who maintained strong friendships with people he met at all stages of his life. During this time he began working with various Pueblos and other entities in the Santa Fe area, an association which he greatly enjoyed. He served on numerous boards and was an active member of many financial clubs in the city, where he excelled at dominoes. His greatest joy was his family, with whom he skied, body-surfed, back-packed, danced, played games of all kinds, and traveled extensively. After his extended family, he took special pride in his garden. The same grace and spirit that earned Bill the Gimbel Award at UCLA was with him throughout life, and his friends, colleagues, and family all got to be on the receiving end, and will miss him. He leaves his wife of 64 years, Anona Elizabeth Kuehne; his children, Bruce and Donna Kuehne, Linda Palmer, Brian and Mary Grace Kuehne, Laurie and McKenzie Williams; 10 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; two nephews; his half-brother and his wife, Rod and Barbara Kuehne; and a Swedish exchange student who was like another son, Anders Tilligard. Family and friends are invited to attend Memorial Services at 2:30 PM, Friday, May 1st, 2009, at the Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland. In lieu of flowers, pleased consider a contribution to the charity of your choice.